Wood End Primary School, located in Northolt, Middlesex, underwent an inspection on June 18 and 19, 2024. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education and leadership and management also receiving a similar rating. However, the school demonstrated good performance in behavior and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. The headteacher, Warner Stainbank, leads the school, which operates as a single academy trust overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Matthew Jeatt.
Pupils at Wood End Primary School enjoy their time at school, exhibiting good behavior in class due to clear expectations. They appreciate the recognition they receive for positive behavior, such as certificates, and feel safe thanks to the support provided through initiatives like The Space, where they can discuss their worries. While pupils generally produce good quality work and achieve well in English and mathematics, the curriculum in other subjects is not as well established, leading to gaps in knowledge and understanding, particularly for those with special educational needs and disabilities.
The school offers a range of extracurricular activities, including clubs for football, karate, and tennis, and older pupils take on responsibilities to support younger peers during breaks. The curriculum is designed to meet national expectations, with a clear sequence of subject content that helps pupils build their understanding over time. In mathematics, for instance, early years pupils practice measuring and using key vocabulary, which lays a solid foundation for more complex problem-solving in later years. However, the implementation of the curriculum in subjects outside of English and mathematics is inconsistent, leading to some pupils not securing deeper knowledge.
Pupils with special educational needs are accurately identified, and their needs are communicated effectively to staff, allowing for appropriate adaptations in teaching. The school prioritizes reading, with strong foundations established in early years. Staff implement the reading curriculum effectively, ensuring that pupils practice reading books that match their learning. A love of reading is fostered through events like World Book Day and weekly story sessions with parents.
Attendance is good, supported by effective systems and clear expectations. The school's values are reinforced daily, contributing to a calm and orderly environment during lessons. However, leaders recognize the need for improvement in lunchtime behavior. Personal development is a focus, with the curriculum addressing important concepts such as healthy relationships. Educational outings and opportunities for leadership development are also provided.
Leaders are mindful of staff well-being, especially in light of recent curriculum changes that have increased workload. While governors understand the school's priorities and their role in supporting and challenging leaders, their oversight of certain aspects is not sufficiently rigorous, limiting their understanding of the impact of leadership efforts.
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to recognize and report concerns. However, the sharing of safeguarding concerns with the local authority lacks consistency, and governance does not have access to comprehensive information to maintain an effective overview of safeguarding processes.
To improve, the school needs to focus on the implementation of the curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics, ensuring staff receive adequate training and support. Additionally, the school should enhance its systems for monitoring various aspects of its work, including curriculum impact and safeguarding, to provide leaders and governors with the necessary information to inform their decisions and actions.
